Roses Are Red
by Dreamstar's Courage
Summary: I'm Faith Isabella de Silva. A shifter, like my brother Nick. But Nick and I, we're different shifters. We don't mediate ghosts...[COMPLETE]
1. Chapter 1

Roses Are Red

Summary: Hi. I'm Faith Isabella de Silva. Interesting name, not? Yeah, well, I'm not your average girl. My mom's the most powerful shifter around, and my dad (who my friends allllwaaays drool over-eew!) is pretty high up there on the mediator totem pole. So, what did I get from them? OK, a) I'm a shifter. And b) Thanks to being a mediator/shifter hybrid, I'm a "special" kind of shifter. I mediate vampires.

**Chapter One: Just Wonderful**

Mom's face was serious as she and Dad sat me down in our living room. Which is weird, since she's the fun loving mom the your friends are all 'OMG, your lucky!' about. Dad's the serious one. Which makes my best friend, Cassidy, think he's even sexier.

Gross!

"Faith," Mom said carefully, "Your father and I have news to tell you."

Great.

"You guys aren't getting a divorce, are you?" I asked. This is highly unlikely. Mom and Dad are nuts about each other. Once again, gross.

"No," Dad sighed. He's this tall, Spanish doctor who basically all women love. I got my dark hair, skin tones, and slight accent from him. My eyes and body structure are all Mom.

"Look," Mom said, "Have you heard anything about... 'shifters' from Ben?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Mom, Dad, I dumped Ben Slater last week."

Dad promptly praised the Lord in Spanish. I could understand everything he was saying, for I speak fluent Spanish.

"Uh, so, anyway," Mom continued, "Shifters are... people who help the dead move on. And they can go between dimensions."

What kind of fairy tale had she been reading?

"I am one."

What the...?

"And I," Dad said, "Am a mediator, which is all that, without the dimensions thing."

"He's also an ex-ghost," Mom added.

Wonderful.

At this, my jaw dropped.

So, Mom gave me the whole story. Fell for a ghost, brought him to life, married him, and had two kids. My and my brother, Nicholas Hose de Silva.

And they tell me this when I'm sixteen!

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked after a moment. Dad answered that one.

"Because we were thinking that you were a shifter as well."

I thought back.

"No, haven't seen any ghosts lately, thanks."

I was getting hysterical, laughing my head off. Dad calmly put a hand on my shoulder. He often did this, to settle me down, and it did. He did the same with Mom. I can't be a shifter!

And it's not like I'll tell them about what I _have _been seeing.

Mom looked confused. "That's strange."

"I'll go check the books," Dad said, and walked into our library.

Have I mentioned that my family is pretty... well, rich?

Dad's one of the most successful surgeon in the world, and Mom's a well known psychaiatrist.

After a few moments of silence, Dad walked in, his face stony.

"Faith," He said, "You _have _been seeing things, haven't you?"

"What?" Mom asked.

"According to the book," Dad sighed, "A mediator/shifter hybrid is a shifter-for vampires."

Now it was Mom's jaw's turn to drop.

"F-Faith?"

I shrugged innocently.

"OK, so I've met the occasional blood-sucker."

Stares.

"_They_ come to _me_, not the other way around. And I send them on their merry way to find some other person who can do the job. Nick's one, too."

At that moment, my thirteen year old brother walked in.

"Dang!" He yelled at me, "You told them?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, dweeb. I have. They woulda found out once Giselle came over, anyway, lookin' for love."

Nick blushed. Giselle's this female vamp his age, obsessed with him.

"Giselle?" Mom asked.

"Yeah," I sighed, "She's got a thing for Nick." Though it grosses me out, apparently, Nick-who looks like Dad with Mom's eyes- is quite the heartthrob in his class.

"Look," Mom sighed, "If you're supposed to help the vampires, I think you should."

Dad's eyes bugged out. "They should? _Querida_-"

"Shush," Mom snapped, "If you know what you're doing, and are careful, you must do it. Or else, they won't stop bugging you."

After a moment, Nick and I agreed simultaneously: "OK."

Buffy, look out. There's a new vamp fighting chick in town.

000

I filed one nail as Father Dom lectured me. Hey, I'm not all that girly, but I have a thing about my nails.

"Faith," He sighed, "You need to stop threatening Ben Slater."

I rolled my eyes. I respect and like Father Dom and all-he's, like, eighty-eight and still hasn't retired- but the guy is such a goody goody.

Yeah. I take after Mom in my attitude.

"Look," I said, "Ben is a wimp who won't give up on a girl. You can't blame me for threatening to kick him in his-"

"And almost going through with it," Father Dom added.

Oh, yeah. I had been about to do it when that novice caught me.

The de Silvas and the Slaters have never been on very good terms. It's 'cause Ben's dad, Paul, stalked my mom. And, as I recently figured out, almost killed her once.

Lovely, isn't it?

When Ben asked me to go steady, Dad looked like he was about to pass out. I said yes. Even though I hate his guts and all, Ben is pretty cute. A few inches taller than me-I got Dad's height, too- with curly hair and brown eyes. Besides the eyes, a mini of his dad.

Not that Paul's hot anymore.

But I saw photos of him when he was younger, and realized that my ex's dad was quite the looker.

"Can I get out of here?" I asked Father Dom. "This office is giving me claustrophobia."

"You don't _have _claustrophobia, Faith."

"I do now."

And with that, I stolled out of my principal's office.

"Faith!" A hopeful voice called. I flinched.

"Ben, not right now."

"Please listen to me."

"I'd rather not."

"Come on!"

Just as I was about to turn and suggest some unholy things, a voice came.

"Faith de Silva, isn't it?"

Turning, I saw the best looking thing _ever_.

He was tall-taller than Ben-, with black hair and sapphire blue eyes. His face looked like it had been carved by angels, and he wore dark clothes that... well, were very, very, form fitting.

But as dazzled as I was, I wasn't fooled.

That pale skin, inhumanly beautiful look, and Britich accent were dead give aways.

A vampire.

"What do you want?" I asked, crossing my arms. But not as firmly as I usually do. Even for a vamp guy-they're almost always hotties- this guy was _hot_.

"I have a friend who wants your help," He said. I caught a glimpse of those strong, white teeth. The incisors were a bit sharper than a normal human's.

"Not you yourself?" I was surprised.

"No." His accent made everything he said clipped. You see, vamps aren't really from Transylvania. They're from England. Most have lost their accents, but this guy had to be pretty old. Not that he looked it. Twenty-one, I'll put him at that.

Would have been to old for me any-

Control, Faith.

"Who is this dude?" Came a voice. I had forgotten that Ben was there.

"Yeah, who are you, anyway?" I asked.

"Magnus," The vamp replied in his cool tone. "And like I said, I need your help with a friend."

Darting a look at Ben, I drew Magnus to a more secluded spot.

"Look," I muttered to him, "There's gotta be more that one vamp shifter around. My brother, for instance."

"You're brother is too young," Magnus sighed, "You, Faith, are the only _competent_ vampire shifter in this area."

At first, I glowed with pride-heehee, I was competent!- but then a thought struck me.

"How the heck do you know my name?"

Magnus chuckled. "Heard about you through the grapevine. Look, are you helping my friend, or not?"

After a moment, and heaing Mom's talk about how it was 'my destiny', I made my decision.

"Absolutely not."

000

_What Faith forgot is that vamps are masters of persuasion. R and R!_


	2. The Art of Persuasion

Roses Are Red

Summary: Hi. I'm Faith Isabella de Silva. Interesting name, not? Yeah, well, I'm not your average girl. My mom's the most powerful shifter around, and my dad (who my friends allllwaaays drool over-eew!) is pretty high up there on the mediator totem pole. So, what did I get from them? OK, a) I'm a shifter. And b) Thanks to being a mediator/shifter hybrid, I'm a "special" kind of shifter. I mediate vampires.

**Chapter Two: The Art of Persuasion**

A knock came at the door that evening. Sighing, with a hunch at who it was, I answered.

A thin, waifish, but nevertheless pretty girl stood in my doorway. She looked twelve or thirteen, and had porcelain skin with whitish blonde hair and hazel eyes.

"Hello, Faith," She said in her high voice. Unlike Magnus's, it was unaccented. "May I see Nick?"

"Oooh, Nick," I called in my best older sister voice.

He ran downstairs. But as soon as he saw the girl, his face fell.

"Oh. Hey, Giselle."

I left my brother to talk to the young vamp, but as I walked upstairs, a thought struck my mind. Vamps _did _need to be mediated.

And one of those vampires was Giselle McTavish.

000

Yeah, I feel guilty for not telling my parents that it was _that _Giselle. And I feel worse for CeeCee and Adam. Their only kid, a newly bitten vampire.

But some things can't told.

I was actually there the night Giselle was bitten. So was Nick. You see, Slade, a desperate vamp who wanted our help, took us to an alley. Little did we know that Giselle had followed us.

_"Look," I sighed, "Slade, Nick and I, we're sorry, but we aren't into that whole thing. We want to be normal, you know?"_

_Slade turned to us, eyes burning red._

_"No," He spat, "I don't know how you can just leave me to dwell like this. A living Hell!"_

_He took a threatening step toward Nick. Just as I was getting ready to kick him where it hurt, a nervous but determined voice came._

_"No! Don't hurt him!"_

_Giselle hopped out of the shadows. For a moment, there was silence. Nervous, shy, crushing-on-my-brother Giselle McTavish had come to help us?  
But then... Slade got that look in his eyes. He was upon Giselle in a matter of seconds, holding her struggling body in his arms._

_"Giselle!" Nick cried, but it was too late._

_I watched, petrified in horror as Slade's elongated fangs sank into her neck._

_Giselle's last dying scream of terror rang into the night._

_The blood flowed, and for a moment, Nick and I did nothing. But then, we got on Slade, clawing at him, punching him, but it was no use. He was draining every drop of blood from the girl's body._

_Finally, Slade hurled her body to the ground, and turned to us. Giselle's blood ran from his mouth, and he gave us a gruesome grin._

_"Now you know what shall happen if you do not help me next time."_

_And with that, he was a bat flying off into the night._

_Nick and ran to Giselle's still body. I shook her at the shoulders, yelling her name. She shook back and forth, limp. Her eyes were still open in horror, but there was no spark in them. _

_And her throat..._

_Slade had put all of his hunger into this job. Giselle's throat was practically torn open. The little color she had had in her delicate skin was gone. _

_Nick's hand went to her hair, which was spread around her._

_"She's dead."_

_Suddenly, a horrifying thought struck me._

_"No. Not exactly."_

_000_

_Nick and I took Giselle's body to our shed in the back yard, and waited. In the morning, she still lay there, so we covered her body, wrapped it up, and hid it._

_Going to school, we prayed that she wouldn't wake up._

_By the time we came home, she still wasn't awake, so I wondered of she would ever wake up. But as soon as the sun went down..._

_Giselle's body twitched. Her throat began to close up, leaving only a small scar._

_And slowly, she blinked._

_"Giselle?" Nick asked._

_Her head was raised, and she looked around, unblinkingly. She would have screamed, but the shed was dark._

_"What happened?" She muttered, touching her throat. Then, she came upon the scar._

_And screamed._

000

"Faith?" I turned at that British accent.

"Great. You again."

Magnus glared at me. I was in the alley where... it happened. He had probably followed me.

" asked you nicely for your help."

"Well, Barney, sometimes manners don't work." I shrugged my shoulders, trying to get my bookbag in a more comfortable position. I hate the fact that this place is on my walk home from school.

Magnus walked up to me. "That bookbag seems to be bothering you. Let me help."

His hands brushed against my shoulders as he took the bookbag off my shoulders. I shivered.

"Hey. I never said yes."

Magnus smiled. "But you were thinking it."

Not!

OK, maybe I had, but I'm not confirming it.

"Whatever."

"You have very silky hair," Magnus remarked, twirling his fingers in it. "Hispanic. From your father, am I right?"

How the heck...?

"Are you a stalker?" I asked suspiciously.

"No," Magnus replied, still inspecting my very silky hair. Why was he doing that?

And more importantly... why did I like it?

I felt his breath against my skin. Icy cold.

My hand went up and took his arm. His cold skin.

"Magnus," I said nervously, "Go."

His voice whispered in my ear.

"But you don't want me to. You're wish is my command, m'lady."

I twisted my head around to him, about to say something that, according to Magnus, I probably didn't mean.

But then... I saw his eyes.

Those beautiful twin sapphires. They sparkled. Caught me up in them...

No! He was luring me in with that vampire thing... the whole pheremones attraction thing...

"Faith," Magnus murmured to me, "Remember. You are immune to that attraction. As a vampire shifter. Anything you feel is-"

"No," I said firmly.

"I can give you whatever you want if you help me," He smiled, "Anything."

"I don't want anything from you," I hissed.

"Oh, really. Then I guess you don't want help defeating Slade."

000

_So? R and R! I love Magnus..._


	3. Bargain

Roses Are Red

Summary: Hi. I'm Faith Isabella de Silva. Interesting name, not? Yeah, well, I'm not your average girl. My mom's the most powerful shifter around, and my dad (who my friends allllwaaays drool over-eew!) is pretty high up there on the mediator totem pole. So, what did I get from them? OK, a) I'm a shifter. And b) Thanks to being a mediator/shifter hybrid, I'm a "special" kind of shifter. I mediate vampires.

Disclaimer: What you recognize is either from The Mediator or Boys that Bite.

**Chapter Three: Bargain**

My eyes widened as I stared at Magnus.

"W-what?" I stuttered.

He grinned that vampire grin. "You heard me right. I can help you get back at Slade for biting Giselle McTavish."

"You _are _a stalker," I muttered under my breath.

"No," He lifted my chin, "I just... I'm _intrigued _by you."

He's a vampire, Faith. Control yourself.

"Is Slade the friend you need help with?" I asked.

"No," Magnus laughed, "Never would I associate with that creature."

I arched an eyebrow. "You _are _of the same blood-sucker status with him," I pointed out.

"As intriguing as you are," Magnus remarked, "You are the most annoying little thing I've ever met."

"Little?" I snarled. I am quite tall, thank you! Then again, I'm nothing next to Magnus...

"Yes," Magnus said simply.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm guessing that you're a stong believer in catching flies with vinegar?"

"If it's working."

"Well," I smirked, "Good. 'Cause so am I."

000

"_You _struck a bargain with a vampire?" Nick asked, eyes wide.

I looked at my nails. Why were my fingers shaking? It couldn't have been because of Magnus.

It couldn't.

"Yeah," I tried to make myself sound confident. "I'll help him with his friend, he helps us with Slade."

Nick arched an eyebrow, a talent he shares with me. "_Us_?"

"Yes, us," I snapped, glaring at him. "Don't you want to get back at him for what he did to your sweetie pie?"

Now it was his turn to glare. "Giselle is _not _my sweetie pie. She's a vampire."

Right.

Suddenly, a suspicious look came into his eyes. "You seem... different. Who is this vamp anyway?"

I put on my innocent face. "His name's Magnus."

"Oh," Nick shook his head, "A guy vamp. That explains a lot."

I punched him in the shoulder. "We're immune to their pheremones, remember?"

"So," Nick groaned, rubbing his shoulder-I practice kick-boxing with Mom-, "How does this Magnus dude know about Giselle anyway?"

"I don't know. He just... does."

"Great."

"Look," I sighed, "I'll take care of his friend on my own if you want me to."

"I'd like that." Nick gave me the brother look. "Just... keep yourself in check, Faith."

"What do you mean?"

"I think you know what I mean."

I didn't.

Really.

000

"Why can't we talk about this?" Ben pleaded as I raced down the street.

"Because we're over," I snapped, glancing at the scrap of paper in my hand. Magnus's house should be coming up...

"I really don't think you should follow me here," I continued, not looking back at Ben. That look in his eyes. Desperate hope, want for forgiveness...

It hurt too much.

"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" Ben yelled.

"As many times as it takes," I hissed in an icy voice, "For me to get the image of you making out with Lauren out of my mind."

"Uh... am I interrupting anything?"

I whirled around to see Magnus standing on the doorstep of what was evidently his house.

"Dang it," I muttered under my breath, before looking up and saying, "No, nothing."

I could feel my face heating up. Great, my "client" had to find me in a fight with my ex. Man, I sound like a lawyer with relationship problems.

"Faith-" Ben began.

I shut my eyes. "Just leave, Ben."

After a moment, I heard his footsteps fading away.

"What was that about?" Magnus asked as we walked down the street. I was silent.

"He hurt you, didn't he?"

"In a sense."

"A Slater?"

I stared at him. "How do you know so much about me?"

Magnus rolled those beautiful eyes. "Things spread in the world of the undead. How could we not know about the ghost who was resurrected?"

A smile played upon my lips. "My dad."

"Yes. Your father."

"I guess," I looked at the pavement, "I guess my mom really loved him."

"Love is a powerful thing," Magnus agreed.

I looked at his perfectly sculpted face. Surely...

"Magnus?" I asked hesitantly. Vampires are touchy about the subject of their old lives. "Have you ever been in love?"

There was silence for a moment. "Yes. With a woman in my time called Rowena. Lady Rowena." (a/n: I stole this name from Ivanhoe.)

"Whoa," I spluttered, "You're from _that _far back?"

""Yes," He smiled, "I was actually a knight of the round table."

My eyes bugged out. "What! You knew _Lancelot_?"

Magnus rolled his eyes. "The big idiot. Never at a fight. Always making out with Gwenivere behind the king's back."

"Oh. I thought that was a myth."

He glared at me.

"OK, guess not."

"So," I said, "Who was Lady Rowena?"

Magnus smiled. "She was one of Queen Gwenivere's ladies in waiting. The only one who knew about the affair."

"So, you fell for her?" I asked in a tight voice. Why did this bother me?  
"Yes. She was beautiful. Golden locks, dark brown eyes, palest of skin. I was-I was going to ask for her hand in marriage, but the night before... it happened."

"You were bitten?" My tone was soft.

"Yes. By Lady Josephine."

I looked him up and down. Oh. No wonder that the vamp chick had bitten _him _instead of Lancelot.

"She was one of the queen's other ladies in waiting. Always thought she was a bit odd."

I laughed. "Guess you were right."

At that precise moment, I tripped. "Ah!" I yelped, hoping that the cement wasn't all that hard.

But then... I wasn't falling. Magnus had caught me.

"Vampire's reflexes," He remarked, pulling me up. For the first time that night, I looked at his appearance. He was wearing jeans-a delight when he was walking in front of me- a black t-shirt, and a brown leather jacket. Hey, what a coincidence! I'm wearing the black leather jacket Mom gave me.

OK, a bit off topic. Magnus looked hot, OK?

Dang teenage girl hormones.

I hoped that my hair wasn't frizzy. It's a lot longer than my mom's, down to my waist (a/n: heehee, same length as mine!), in natural waves. But it _always _frizzes at the top, even though it is apparently very silky.

Why am I acting this way!  
"Where does your friend live?" I asked, "So to speak.

"Not far from here," Magnus said, "She's very solitary, though."

"_She_?"

He gave me a look. "Yes, she. Charity."

Interesting name for a vampiress.

At that moment, I realized that we were in front of a very dark house. Solid gray, one story, no lights shining from the porch. And there were shades covering the windows.

Magnus knocked on the door. "Charity?" He asked, "It's Magnus."

A Goth sounding voice answered. "Do you have her with you?"

Magnus rolled is eyes. "Yes."

"Is she holding any stakes?"

"No."

"Frisk her."

My jaw dropped. Magnus looked apalled.

"Charity-"

"Do it."

He glared at me as if it was my fault.

"What?" I snapped, "It's not as if _I'm _inviting you to frisk me!"

Although-

Stupid perverted mind.

"I am _not _frisking her," Magnus declared, "Charity, I'm not from your time period."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The Voice From The House and I said at the same time.

"It means," Magnus groaned, "That I will not jump to frisk a lady. Not even Faith."

He abruptly realized that he had implied that I was good looking, and glared at me.

"Don't worry," I assured him, "I wouldn't flatter myself."

"Fine," Charity suddenly purred in delight. "I won't make Magnus frisk a girl he's actually attracted to. That would take all the fun out of it."

Just as Magnus and I both opened our mouths to argue that Magnus was anything _but _attracted to me, a girl came to the door. She was... pretty. In a weird way.

Her hair was died blood red, and her eyes were... yellow. Strange, but could have been color contacts.

She was short and slight, and her red hair hung lank, but something told me that she could pick up guys like that. Maybe the confidence. Maybe the bad-girl thing.

Maybe the pheremones.

Her clothes were all black, and she was very pale (duh) and had tons of eyeliner on, accompanied with black lip stick.

Yeah. Charity was pretty solitary looking.

"So." She stared at me. "You're the one."

"Uh, pretty much," I smiled weakly.

Charity then proceeded to lead us in without a word to Magnus. Though she did give him the eye.

Dang. Even vampiresses love him.

Charity's house is very dimly lit, only with candles. There's a bit of furniture, but no TV. Everything, even the walls, is black.

We sit down on the floor. Charity looks at me with her yellow eyes and says one thing:

"I didn't used to be this way."

That one statement made me want to help her.

"Really?" I blurted out like an idiot.

Magnus shot me The Look. Strange, I seem to be getting it often.

"Yeah," Charity murmured, "Then Slade bit me and-"

"So _that's _how you know him," I interrupted, glaring at Magnus. He, for the millionth time, rolled his eyes.

"I want to leave this world," Charity said, staring into my eyes, "I want to get rid of this awful hunger."

I gave her a small smile.

"I'll do anything, Charity."

000

_Hope you liked. I have a poll. Who's your fave character so far?_

_a) Faith_

_b) Nick_

_c) Giselle_

_d) Ben_

_e) Magnus_


	4. What Used to Be

Roses Are Red

Summary: Hi. I'm Faith Isabella de Silva. Interesting name, not? Yeah, well, I'm not your average girl. My mom's the most powerful shifter around, and my dad (who my friends allllwaaays drool over-eew!) is pretty high up there on the mediator totem pole. So, what did I get from them? OK, a) I'm a shifter. And b) Thanks to being a mediator/shifter hybrid, I'm a "special" kind of shifter. I mediate vampires.

Disclaimer: What you recognize is either from The Mediator or Boys that Bite.

**Chapter Four: What Used to Be**

My eyes were on him. The rat. Watching the cheerleaders practice in their short shorts and tank tops.

Stupid Ben.

Our cheerleaders aren't even that good. Since we go to a Catholic school, they wear skirts nearly down to their ankles and long sleeved tees. Practice is the only time they get to wear something skimpy.

And they have the worst cheers ('be aggressive!') with routines that always have them falling down on top of each other.

So why was I... jealous?

"Mixed feelings?" That familiar soft, high voice asked. I turned to Giselle. She was clothed in a maroon sweater and long black skirt. Unlike her mother, she was not an albino, but still had delicate skin.

Especially now.

"Hey," I smiled. Giselle is the nicest vampire you'd ever meet. But maybe I just think that because of the whole knew-her-when-she-was-human thing.

Her smile was forlorn. "I'm so hungry, Faith."

I gave her a sympathetic pat on the arm. "But I thought-"

"Raw hamburger meat won't cut it," Giselle interrupted. "Everywhere I go, I look at guys' necks. The only one I haven't checked out is my own father. Even with Nick, I'm out of control."

I thought of Charity's desperate plea. She had mentioned the hunger was what drove her insane...

It wouldn't take long before Giselle became another Charity.

I knew it.

000

I looked around. The house, unlike Charity's, was roomy, but it was also dimly lit, and slightly gloomy.

Whoa. I was in Magnus's house.

He walked back in from the kitchen. We were going to discuss what to do about Charity.

"Here," Magnus handed me a stack of photos. "These are of Charity before she was bitten."

I couldn't keep a gasp from escaping my mouth. The girl in the pictures... she had dirty blonde hair, grey eyes, tanned skin. She wore trendy clothes and seemed like the sporty type.

"This is Charity?" I murmured.

"Was," Magnus corrected me. Tears pricked in the corners of my eyes. I wanted to die. All this time... I could have kept this from happening...

"No, you couldn't." Magnus said suddenly. My head jerked up.

"What did you just say?" I croaked.

He looked down. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

"Yes you did!" I cried, "You can read my mind!"  
After a moment of silence, he sighed. "Occasionally. But I would prefer it if you didn't ask why."

I arched an eyebrow. "Why?"

Shaking his head, Magnus began.

"Every thousand years, a vampire/shifter team is chosen. They can communicate in ways that normally aren't possible, even for the vampire. I think that... we may have to be partners."

I blinked. "What?" I yelped, "No way."

"We have no choice," Magnus muttered.

Hmm...

_Hey, Mags? _I thought.

An angry voice snapped in my head. _Don't call me Mags!_

I looked at Magnus. His face held a look of shock.

"Please no," He whispered to some invisible person. "Not her."

Wonderful. Now I can torture Magnus from inside his head.

000

_Where the heck was I?_

_I looked around. It looked like a... castle?_

_Wait a second. I had to be dreaming. Magnus must have inadvertently sent me a dream about his old life._

_A woman walked into view. She was clothed in a fancy old dress, her blonde hair in ringlets, brown eyes searching-_

_She fit the description of Magnus's old love._

_Just then, Magnus himself walked out from a hall. Boy, he looked good in those old clothes._

_So he was hot. Sue me._

_A smile lit his handsome features as he walked over to the woman._

_"Hello, Rowena," He said to her._

_"Sir Magnus," She murmured in her soft voice, "It's Lady Josephine. I'm worried about her. She is infatuated with you."_

_Magnus drew her close. "Don't worry, love," He whispered in her ear. His lips began to move closer to hers._

_Then, I was screaming._

_"Wake me up!"_

_For some reason, I couldn't stand it._

_Just like I couldn't stand to watch Ben stare at the cheerleaders._

000

The wind ruffled my hair. I sat on the bleachers, just like I had yesterday. A voice called my name.

"Faith?"

I turned.

And lips met my own.

000

_Who do you think it is?_


	5. Rude Awakening

Roses Are Red

Summary: Hi. I'm Faith Isabella de Silva. Interesting name, not? Yeah, well, I'm not your average girl. My mom's the most powerful shifter around, and my dad (who my friends allllwaaays drool over-eew!) is pretty high up there on the mediator totem pole. So, what did I get from them? OK, a) I'm a shifter. And b) Thanks to being a mediator/shifter hybrid, I'm a "special" kind of shifter. I mediate vampires.

Disclaimer: What you recognize is either from The Mediator or Boys that Bite.

**Chapter Five: Rude Awakening**

I closed my eyes, finding myself kissing whoever it was back. Mmm... I didn't care who it was, I was hurt, and-

"Ah!" I yelped, breaking away from Ben. He stared at me in amazement.

"Why the heck did you do that?" I cried, scrambling away from him.

"Well." A cold voice said, "I see what this is."

Whirling around, I saw... Magnus.

OK. This was awkward. I drew some of the hair away from my face, gaping at him.

"Magnus! I... I-"

"Don't worry," He smiled, "It's alright. You have your affairs, I have mine."

And then he walked off.

Ben turned me back to him.

"I love you, Faith," He said in a soft voice. I opened my mouth, wanting to say something.

"I... I don't know if I love you," I finally answered, "But I _do _have feelings for you."

Ben grinned. "So, are we back on?"

"No."

His face fell. "But-"

I gave him the hand. "No. I said I have feelings for you. Not that I forgive you for cheating on me. And... I have no idea what just happened."

For some reason, I felt... disappointment? that Ben had been kissing me. But who had I wanted? And my heart was racing so fast... that had to mean something.

Right?

000

_Hey, _I thought.

_Done with your romantic cavorting?_

_Ew!_ I lay on my bed, rolling my eyes at how Magnus put kissing.

_Look, _I continued, _I'm sorry and embarrassed you had to catch us like that._

_Don't worry. I'm fine._

But I wasn't.

000

I knocked on the door.

"Who calls?"

"Er, Charity? It's me, Faith."

"Oh. Come in."

Once again, I was in the dark house. Charity was lying on the floor, a glass tube in her hand.

"What's-" I began. But then I saw it. The dark liquid that half filled the tube, the droplets of it that hung on the corners of Charity's mouth.

Her yellow eyes glared at me. "What? I was hungry. Not my fault you caught me at a bad moment."

I sat down across from her. "Um, where'd you get... it?"  
"Well," She smirked, "In the beginning, I actually bit two people. Then, I didn't know the magnitude of my actions. I thought it was game. But I met one of those people a week after..." She shook her head. "It was bad."

"Then," She continued, "I got a job at the blood bank. They thought that I was so good, I could do it myself. You see, you only become a vampire if you get bitten on the neck. I bit people on the arm, activated my venom to put them to sleep and to give them amnesia about the whole thing, and drank. I took enough to make up for it, though."

"After a while, people began to notice that I was 'messier' than they thought, and fired me. I met Magnus, though, and he showed me the newer way. People-mortals- who know about us-mainly Goths- donate blood, and we drink it. It's feigned as a different kind of blood bank."

I was silent for a moment, taking all of this in.

"Well. That's cool."

Calmly, Charity drained the rest of the tube.

"So," She said, whiping her mouth against the sleeve of her Gothic dress. "Why did you come over here?"

"I wanted to talk to you. Get some info. We didn't chat much before."

"... OK."

"Um," I mumbled, "How long-"

"Six years," She replied, cutting me off. "I've been a vamp for six years."

I twisted my hands together. This was harder than I thought. Much harder.

"Do you know a way to get you mediated?" I blurted, "'Cause I have no idea."

Charity calmly walked into the room next door and came back with a huge, leather bound book.

"Here," She smirked, "Keep it."

000

"He _kissed _you?" Nick yelled. I looked at him from under lowered lashes.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I winced at his hurt tone. You see, ever since we realized that we Are Not Alone, Nick and I have been closer than most siblings. I tell him a lot, he tells me a lot. Mom said that it was similar between her and Uncle David.

"Because," I sighed, "That's something I thight you wouldn't want to hear about."

I swang on the old swing Dad had built-yes, _built_- for us when I was five and and Nick was two. We had all those corny Kodak moments and everything on it.

"Why wouldn't I have wanted to hear about it?" Nick asked.

"We're not kids anyomore," I murmured, "That's gone."

"What do you mean?" He pleaded.

I glared at him.

"Faith the normal girl is dead. Faith the shifter lives."

000

_Yep, told ya Faith isn't average. R and R!_


	6. Partner of Mine

Roses Are Red

Summary: Hi. I'm Faith Isabella de Silva. Interesting name, not? Yeah, well, I'm not your average girl. My mom's the most powerful shifter around, and my dad (who my friends allllwaaays drool over-eew!) is pretty high up there on the mediator totem pole. So, what did I get from them? OK, a) I'm a shifter. And b) Thanks to being a mediator/shifter hybrid, I'm a "special" kind of shifter. I mediate vampires.

Disclaimer: What you recognize is either from The Mediator or Boys that Bite.

a/n: Slight fluff warning!

**Chapter Six: Partner of Mine**

"Please," Ben begged more and more with each passing day. I ran from him, ran from my problems. I didn't even touch the book Charity had given me.

Everything was wrong.

Let's make a list.

a) It was wrong that I was even _considering _getting back together with a guy who cheated on me.

b) It was wrong that I wasn't getting back to my shifter duties.

Oh, and my favorite.

c) It was very, VERY, wrong that I had been jealous of Magnus's old flame.

I am mentally ill. That's the verdict.

These were the thoughts that were flying through my head at dinner time. I could barely bring the London Broil to my mouth, and that's my favorite food.

Mom observed this aloud, but I didn't respond.

"Faith?" She asked, her eyes-that mine are carbon copies of- searching me. "What's up?"

"Nothing," I sighed, picking at my mashed potatoes.

"There is something wrong with you, _senorita_," Dad proclaimed, using the nickname that he has called me ever since I was little. '_Senorita_' in Spanish, means unmarried girl. Kinda like 'miss'.

"Nothing," I murmured again.

"Faith-" Mom began, but I cut her off.

"It is truly nothing, _Mami_," I snapped.

That sly look came to Mom's face. "Nick," She smiled, "Is there anything going on with your shifter duties?"

Nick looked at the floor. "Well, actually-"

"I can't tak this!" I yelled, opening the sliding glass door. Not caring about what they said, I raced through the streets, hoping that I was going to the right adress.

I knocked on the door, tears streaming down my face.

"Faith-" Magnus said in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm just having a really hard time," I breathed shakily, looking up at him. "After the Ben thing, we've still been kinda awkward, and-"

"Ssh," He murmured, taking me close. "It's OK. You can stay here a while."

He gently pulled me inside, and sat me down on his sofa. He then went into the kitchen, and came back with an eyedropper full of something.

"Here," He said, "We use this to calm the blood donors down. Open your mouth, and raise your tongue."

I obeyed. Magnus dripped a few drops of the tasteless liquid under my tongue.

"There. What's up with you?"

"My brother's telling all," I began, "Ben's stalking me, I have to figure out how to help Charity, and on top of all of it there's-"

I snapped my mouth shut. I had been about to say 'on top of all of it, there's you' but then he would surely notice something.

Not really sure of what I was doing, I lay my head on Magnus's chest. At first, he flinched at the touch, but then was calm.

I listened to a heartbeat, then realized there was none.

Unconciously, I murmured, "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

I took Magnus's hand an layed it on my own chest(not _there_, pervs) and held his hand. He would have blushed if he had been able to, I'm sure, but he didn't move. I felt my own heartbeat speeding up a bit, and kept my head on his chest.

"Mine is enough to make up for both yours," I whispered softly. "Just for now."

I was feeling a rush I had never felt before as we sat there. It was several long moments before Magnus took his hand away and muttered, "Faith, we can't-"

I lay a finger on his lips and kissed him lightly. He was stunned.

"Thank you," I smiled, blushing, "That was a thank you."

Suddenly, a lilting music came to my ears. It was Spanish, I could tell, mainly just guitar, no lyrics.

"The neighbors," Magnus explained.

I stood and took his hand.

"Dance with me, Magnus."

He shook his head, "No, I can't dance."

I smiled. "Then I'll show you."

Silently, I led him out on his padio. It was a full moon out, and we were bathed in it's light. The music called to me, and I began to sway, looking at Magnus, who watched.

Thanks to having lessons, and 'natural ability' I'm a pretty good dancer, and this is a good way of attracting guys.

Finally, Magnus walked up to me. At first, his hands awkwardly took mine, but then, I took them in my own and slowly slid them down to my hips. I then twined my arms around his neck, and swayed some more.

Slowly but surely, Magnus began to catch on.

For a moment, I took my hands from his neck and ran them over his chest, feeling the hard wall of muscles. Then, seeing that I was needing control, I put them back around his neck.

Gently, as if he, like I, was guided by some invisible force, Magnus rested his forehead against mine. My eyes met his. Those soulful eyes. Beautiful eyes. Sapphires.

I took one hand and traced his face with my fingers. Then, cautiously, his lips came closer to mine. And as we swayed, I didn't resist.

"Faith?"

My head whirled around.

"Mom!"

000

_I must say that since I'm a romance junkie, that was my favorite chappie to write so far. R and R!_


	7. Busted

Roses Are Red

Summary: Hi. I'm Faith Isabella de Silva. Interesting name, not? Yeah, well, I'm not your average girl. My mom's the most powerful shifter around, and my dad (who my friends allllwaaays drool over-eew!) is pretty high up there on the mediator totem pole. So, what did I get from them? OK, a) I'm a shifter. And b) Thanks to being a mediator/shifter hybrid, I'm a "special" kind of shifter. I mediate vampires.

Disclaimer: What you recognize is either from The Mediator or Boys that Bite.

**I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT. THIS IS OFFICIALLY THE FIRST IN A SERIES CALLED THE VAMPIRE SHIFTER CHRONICLES. JUST SO YOU KNOW.**

**SINCERELY,**

**MRS. DE SILVA 4EVA. JESSE AND MAGNUS ARE ALL MINE. ;)**

**Chapter Seven: Busted**

"Faith Isabella de Silva!" Mom yelled, "You get down here right now!"

Sure, she's a fun mom. _Most _of the time.

I turned back to Magnus. "I'm-I'm sorry," I sighed, "I got you into this."

"Don't worry," He smiled, "It was a pleasure dancing with you."

Giving him one last smile, I raced down to Mom.

"What were you doing with that boy?" Mom hissed at me as she dragged me to the car.

"Nothing," I said somewhat dreamily.

"You've been saying that all evening," Mom exclaimed as we drove toward the house. "Do you know what kind of worry you put your father and I in? You are grounded!"

"OK," I giggled.

She gave The Look. "And cannot see him again!"

That got my attention.

"What?" I yelled, "But-"

"No buts."

000

I lay in bed, thinking about Magnus. His eyes, the way he had been so close... hmm.

Wait. This sounded like...

No. It couldn't be...

But it is.

No!

Yes!

No!

Yes!

No.

000

As far as groundings go, this had to be the worst I'd ever had. I wasn't even able to send a message to anyone via Ben. Father Dom made sure that I didn't even _talk _to anyone.

Geez, all this over one little dance?

The best dance of my life.

Magnus really was a pretty good dancer, actually. And how it had felt... incredible. Wow.

But it had almost looked like... like... like he was about to kiss me.

No way.

It couldn't be. I mean, not possible. Magnus's feelings toward me were purely platonic.

But were mine the same toward him?

000

Having nothing else to do, I opened the old book Charity gave me that night. It was full of spells, all this Wiccan stuff, until I came to the last few pages.

"Please no."

000

Late that night, it happened.

_Faith, _a voice in my head said, _look out your window._

As I looked out, I saw a sight for sore eyes.

"Magnus?" I whispered. He and I hadn't even communicated with our telepathy since... that night.

As I stood in my long, lacy night gown, I noticed a radio at his side. A cocky smile lit his lips.

"Dance with me?"

Not bothering to change, I ran downstairs and outside. Then, once out there, I realized that I was:

a) barefoot

b) in a nightgown

c) without a bra

d) with MAGNUS!

As I stood looking awkward, he smiled again.

"I want to make it up for you. And we never did finish that dance."

I shrugged, pretending to be casual. "OK."

Then... that lilting music began to play, and Magnus stepped forward. But this time, he knew exactly where to put his hands, and how to sway.

Gosh, I hope the top of this night gown doesn't slip.

I felt the dew covered grass beneath my feet, smelled the French Bread that is made by Bake Bread in the Middle of the Night Lady-don't ask- and heard the music.

But all I saw were Magnus's eyes.

The eyes that looked into my soul, made me feel wanted, accepted, cared for.

And... something else I couldn't put my finger on.

Slowly, our faces came closer and closer together. And suddenly...

I was kissing Magnus.

Magnus was kissing me.

Whoa.

But I didn't stop. Far from it. My hands gripped the back of his neck tighter, bringing him closer. His lips were surprisingly warm for a vampire's, and I... I wanted _more_.

"Wow. Lotta control there, _sis_." A penetrating sneer caused Magnus and I to catch ourselves and jump apart, eyes wide.

Once again, I turned to find another member of my lovely family.

My baby brother.

Now, if you have a little sibling, you know how embarrassing it is to be found kissing your boyfriend. Think about it if he finds you kissing a guy out of your species.

Yeah. The first one times ten.

Before I could say anything, Nick stormed back inside. I now turned to Magnus, panting.

"Faith, I- I," He stuttered, "I don't know what just happened. I'm very sorry."

With that, he quickly walked off.

Leaving me in the front porch, hand to lips, trying to keep those tears from falling.

000

For all I know, Mom either thought I was pregnant, or had the flu.

The next couple of days, I was throwing up constantly. This kept me out of school, and won my parents' sympathy, actually.

Though he didn't talk to me, Nick kept my secret a secret. A felt so guilty though. For having to make him go through this, and playing with Magnus's heart.

I had kissed a guy I had no feelings for.

I think.

But I knew that it was bad on the day I called her.

I found her number in the directory, and dialed.

"Hello?"

"Ch-Charity?"

"Holy... Faith!"

And then it began this whole sob story-no, seriously, I was crying to a Goth vampiress- and at the end, I got _this _response:

"Uh... maybe you should come over at my house and spend the night."

000

Luckily, my "sentence" had ended, so I packed my bags and rode my bike to Charity's(yes, I don't have a license yet).

She came to the door dressed in a night gown-a black one. Charity actually _smiled _at me.

Yes. Charity.

"So," She smirked as I set my bags down. "You liplocked with your partner?"

I gave her a weird look. "You know that Magnus is my partner?"

She nodded. "He told me."

I smiled. "He tells you a lot, doesn't he?"

Charity shrugged and flashed the pearly whites. "I guess. I, um, used to have a crush on him."

I cocked my head. "Why'd you stop?"

"You came along."

Taking this badly, I blabbered, "Oh, sorry-I mean, uh-"

"No, no, no," Charity assured me, waving a hand. "I just... sensed a connection."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, well, I don't have feelings for him, if that's what you mean."

"Right."  
"That kiss was a total fluke."

"Sure."

"Shut up."

"You betcha."

000

We talked for a while, Charity sympathized, and things went pretty well. Until, that is, we went to sleep.

Charity and I had become... friends.

And I didn't want to mediate her.

000

_OK! OK! I GAVE YOU THE KISS, HAPPY? R and R!_


	8. Chapter 8

Roses Are Red

Summary: Hi. I'm Faith Isabella de Silva. Interesting name, not? Yeah, well, I'm not your average girl. My mom's the most powerful shifter around, and my dad (who my friends allllwaaays drool over-eew!) is pretty high up there on the mediator totem pole. So, what did I get from them? OK, a) I'm a shifter. And b) Thanks to being a mediator/shifter hybrid, I'm a "special" kind of shifter. I mediate vampires.

Disclaimer: What you recognize is either from The Mediator or Boys that Bite.

**Chapter Eight: The Wisdom of Lucifent**

I sat on the grass, sketching. I like to sketch. It totally calms me down.

Don't even ask who I was sketching.

Where I was sketching was a big field with tons of wildflowers. It's totally corny, but I like it.

"What are you drawing?"

I snapped the sketchbook shut and turned to look up at Magnus in all his glory. His arms were crossed, and he was smiling at me.

"Oh," My voice came out all high, "Hey Mags."

"What were you sketching?" He repeated.

"None of your business," I tossed my head. "Especially since you haven't been talking to me at all lately."

"Faith," Magnus sighed, "You know I can't ever since-"

"Well," I snapped, "It's not like it meant anything to us. It was a fluke. Pure fluke."

For a moment, Magnus was silent. "Yes, you're right," He concluded, "A fluke."

Why did I want him to say something completely different?

"Look," Magnus said, "I need to take you to see Lucifent. He needs to record us as partners."

"Lucifent?" I asked.

"My boss. Well, not really boss, leader of the coven that Charity and I belong to."

Huh. Might as well.

000

Lucifent was rich. That much was obvious. He lived in a big mansion in a clpudy area of the town.

"Now," Magus instructed me, "Make sure that you are very polite with Lucifent. He has a temper."

"Hello, Julia," Magnus nodded to the secretary vamp who giggled happily.

We walked into a huge room to find a little boy. He was the cutest thing, blonde curls, blue eyes, looked about six.

"Hi," I smiled at me, "Aren't you the cutest thing? How old are you?"

Then the little boy spoke in a not-so-little voice.

"About three thousand. Give or take a hundred."

I turned to Magnus who was cradling his head in one hand.

"_This _is Lucifent?"

"Yes," He moaned.

"Magnus!" Lucifent yelled, "What is a mortal doing here?"

"Hey!" I snapped, "Don't talk to him that way!"

I still had the mindset that he was a little boy.

Lucifent glared at me. "Silence, little girl."

Oh... you see, I _am _a vampire shifter. It turns out, as I read later on in the book that Charity gave me, that we command respect from vamps. It's our nature. Magnus and Charity had respected me, and Lucifent wasn't. That was fuel.

I then calmly scooped a squirming Lucifent in my arms, looked him in the eye.

"Look, buddy," I smiled sweetly, "I'm the vampire shifter. I am capable of staking you like that. I want respect from you, and I want it now."

Lucifent was pretty quiet after that.

"So," He said to Magnus, "What brings you here?"

"We're partners," Magnus sighed.

Lucifent took our a huge notebook and began flipping through it.

"What year is it again? I always lose count."

"2006, sir."

"Alright... hmm... Good."

"Well, Lucy," I smirked at him as Magnus made a slashing motion over his neck in the background. "It's been a pleasure working with ya."

000

I looked at Ben as he pleaded with me. "Please, please, please!"

"OK," I murmured.

"What?" As we stood outside my house, Ben looked startled.

"I said OK," I sighed, "I'll get back together with you."

000

_Poor Faith. R and R!_


	9. Dates and Angry Partners

Roses Are Red

Summary: Hi. I'm Faith Isabella de Silva. Interesting name, not? Yeah, well, I'm not your average girl. My mom's the most powerful shifter around, and my dad (who my friends allllwaaays drool over-eew!) is pretty high up there on the mediator totem pole. So, what did I get from them? OK, a) I'm a shifter. And b) Thanks to being a mediator/shifter hybrid, I'm a "special" kind of shifter. I mediate vampires.

Disclaimer: What you recognize is either from The Mediator or Boys that Bite.

**Chapter Nine: Dates and Angry Partners**

_So, _Magnus said in my head. _Maybe we should start planning what we're going to do to help Charity._

_Uh, _I replied, _I can't._

_Why not?_

_I'm... I'm on a date with Ben._

_You're WHAT!_

_Er..._

"Faith?" Ben asked, "The waitress has asked you three times what you would like to eat.

"Um... I'll have the chef's specialty," I said, my mouth almost seeming to move on its own.

"Are you sure?" Ben asked, "You didn't even look at the menue."

We were at a French restaurant, and Magus was really interrupting our dinner.

"Yes," My mouth moved on auto AGAIN. What was up-

_Magnus? By chance, can you_-

_Opperate your body? Yes._

I am dead and buried in my grave.

For a while, everything was fine. And then, my order came. It was this fancy looking thing, kinda mushy looking.

I took a bite. Then a bigger one.

"This is good," I commented to the waitress. "What is it?"

I put another forkful in my mouth as she spoke.

"Why, calves' brains(a/n: people REALLY eat that)."

I spat it out on my plate while listening to Magnus's hysterical laughter.

_You ordered COW BRAIN for me!_

_You, Faith, could always use a bit more of a brain._

_I resent you._

Anyway, Ben ordered something more edible, and I bickered with Magnus. Lovely, really.

Toward the end of the evening, Ben smiled at me and took my hand. "I'm so glad we're back together."

"I'm not." My mouth said. He looked puzzled.

"I mean, I'm not unhappy!" I grinned, while cursing Magnus.

"Good."

"No, this is bad, for I hate your guts."

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

_Magnus!_

000

As expected, I was a very grumpy teenager the next morning.

Stupid Magnus.

Stupid Magnus, with his sapphire blue eyes, and romantic manner, stupid Magnus, with his seductive charm and honorable ways.

Anyway, I was in the middle of a crisis, when Mom and Dad tell me their great news:

They're having another kid.

Nick and I gaped.

"I thought we were out of the woods for that one!" Nick yelled.

"So did we," Mom grumbled. She's already moody... to think of her pregnant is a horror.

"But you're thirty-eight!" I cried.

"Oh, thanks." (a/n: I'm not in her position at all... I'm 2 yrs older than my brother, 5 older than my sister)

"How's the baby doing, anyway?" I asked weakly.  
"The baby's very healthy. Can't tell if it's a boy or girl yet. It'll be born in May."

Well, then. That's nice.

So she's one month in. It's September right now...

000

"Your mom's having another one?" Cassidy squealed, "How cool!"

I glared at her. "I've got too many responsibilities to have a baby in the house."

"What do ya mean?"

"You don't wanna know."

We were walking towards Charity's house, when I realized that, 'hey! My mortal friend's coming with me!'

"Maybe you should go," I advised her, Charity's kinda... out there."  
"It's OK."

Marvelous.

I knocked on Charity's door.

"Yes? Oh, Faith, and-"

Charity stopped when she saw bubbly blonde Cassidy Prescott. (a/n: MUHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHA! I DID IT!)

Even though her mom is unmarried-she met a guy at a bar, and Cassidy here was the result- Cassidy's totally doted on.

"Charity, Cassidy, Cassidy, Charity."

"OK."

We walked into the house. And Cassidy's jaw dropped. Magnus was leaning against the doorway, looking totally hot, glaring at me.

"Lucifent is dead."

Then he saw Cassidy and quickly shut his mouth.

_He was killed by Bertha the Vampire Slayer. Don't ask._

Bertha? Well... that's lame.

_So? What's the biggie about it?_

_I'M next in line to rule th coven!_

The thought of Magnus leading the coven was just too funny, for some reason. Or maybe it was how freaked he sounded when he told me. Anyway, I just started laughing my head off.

Cassidy, thinking I was choking on my own saliva, began to thump me on the back. The was surprisingly painful.

"Loser," Charity cough-said, her gaze directed at Cassidy, who gave her a dirty look. But Charity, who, being a vampiress, knew nothing _but _dirty looks, gave her one that was so evil that sent _me _shaking.

Magnus shot me a message.

_You do know that Charity may murder your friend?_

_Yep._

_And are you going to do anything about it?_

_Nope._

So, Cassidy stopped thumping me on the back, I stopped laughing, and introduced her to my 'friends'.

"Cassidy, this is Charity."

"Hi!" Cassidy said, all bubbly, "Do you have an hobbies."

Charity gave her a death look. "Yes. Drinking the blood of innocent mortals."

Luckily, Cassidy took this as a joke and laughed her head off, while Charity stared at her with her famous 'you moron' glare.

"And this is Magnus."

Immediatly, Cassidy stopped being the moron and turned into the sexy cheerleader that she was at school.

"Hi," She flipped some of her blonde hair back. "Nice to meet you."

She shook Magnus's hand. And wouldn't really let go, I noticed. This seemed to alarm our blood-sucking hero quite much.

"Er, likewise," He muttered, pulling his hand away.

Charity promptly made a gagging noise.

Hmm... I need to stop Cassidy. And who is the best with evil plans?

Guess.

Come on, just guess!

You morons(a/n: Faith was in a bad mood that day).

Charity!

I pulled her into the hall and out of earshot, ignoring Magnus's pleading look.

"Lemme guess: How do you get rid of Cassidy?" She smirked.

Long pause.

"More or less."

"OK, look: all you need to do is act seductive."

"Huh?"

"Embrace your inner Spanish goddess."

I blinked. I had an inner Spanish goddess?

"What?"

Charity threw her hands into the air. "Just-" She cut herself off.

"Faith, I'm sorry to tell you this, but since you're clueless, _we _will have to do this together."

"Hmm?"

Charity looked solemn. "We must do something that neither of us enjoy doing."

"What must we do?"

Charity got a mad glint in her eye(oh, wait, that's always been there).

"We must FLIRT!"

I nearly screamed at the horror. To get Cassidy off of Magnus, Charity and I had to flirt with him?

OK, it's not like I haven't flirted with Magnus before, but that was a FLUKE!

Really!

I mean, I've flirted with guys. I'm just not like Cassidy. But here I have Charity, a trained proffesional, to help me along the way.

Still...

"How will this help us?" I asked.

"Duh," Charity stuck out her pierced tongue at me. "We'll show her that Magnus is _our _candy."

"He is?"

Charity gave me The Look. "Come on. You and I both know that there isn't anything more entertaining than looking at him."

"But we, of course, don't _like _him."

Charity rolled her eyes at me. "Of course. At least, I don't."

Jeez, I'm gonna have to kill that girl.

Oh, wait, she's already dead.

"Well," I sighed, "I need to at least be prepared." Charity's hot all the time, but me...

"You don't need it," Charity assured me, but finally, after much arguing, she sighed.

"Come into my office."

After much hair fluffing, we walked out.

"Hey Mags," I smiled my flirtiest smile at him. Obviously confused, Magnus's eyes widened as Charity and I got on either side of him and began... well, basically fawning over him.

For the first time, I heard his desperate thoughts.

_Not them! Please not them..._

But finally, we winked at him when we got the chance.

"So," I smirked, "I had fun at your place last night."

Cassidy's eyes widened. Magnus seemed a bit stunned that I would say something that prostitutish. Charity... well, Charity looked impressed.

Finally, Cassidy left, and Magnus, Charity, and I sat down on the one little sofa.

Charity gave me a low five. "I've had a bad influence on you, grasshopper."

Magnus just stared at me. "Hello?" I waved a hand in front of his face.

"Why's he doing that?" I asked Charity. She smirked.

"Nothing. He just thinks you're sexy."

Magnus began to protest, and I laughed at this absurd conclusion.

Gosh, I'm gonna miss Charity.

000

_(sobs) So, do you guys want Charity to get mediated, or change her mind? Vote! _


	10. Dang Prescotts

Roses Are Red

Summary: Hi. I'm Faith Isabella de Silva. Interesting name, not? Yeah, well, I'm not your average girl. My mom's the most powerful shifter around, and my dad (who my friends allllwaaays drool over-eew!) is pretty high up there on the mediator totem pole. So, what did I get from them? OK, a) I'm a shifter. And b) Thanks to being a mediator/shifter hybrid, I'm a "special" kind of shifter. I mediate vampires.

Disclaimer: What you recognize is either from The Mediator or Boys that Bite.

**Chapter Ten: Dang Prescotts**

You know, sometimes Cassidy just... annoys me.

A lot.

Mom is extremely upset that I'm friends with her, since she apparently was never really on good terms with her mom, Kelly.

Kelly got pregnant a few months after my mom did. Except, instead of getting pregnant married and with a college degree, like my mom did, Kelly got pregnant as a stripper at a bar.

But Cassidy is still spoiled to bits, and popular, though her mom works at Wal-Mart. Everyone expected Kelly to marry Paul Slater, just like everyone expected my mom to marry my dad. But Kelly and Paul broke up in Paul's sophomore year in college, since she cheated on him.

You never know what you will find out when your friend's intoxicated.

Yes, Cassidy confessed all this while at a party, drunk. Idiot. Luckily, my parents wouldn't let me go to said party, so I didn't end up drunk. I just picked Cassidy up, since Kelly was getting a manicure.

Geez.

Anyway, tonight was dinner at the Prescotts'. Kelly invited us over, 'cause she saw mom looking at pregnancy stuff.

Kelly: Suze! Ehmagawd, I can't believe this! It's been a while!

Mom: Er... yeah.

Kelly: So, you're pregnant?

Mom: Yes. Third child.

Kelly: Oh! You'll just have to come over tonight!

So. Yeah.

000

"And then, I found out that they were shorts after all!" Kelly laughed. I felt like killing myself.

That's when my cell phone began to ring.

"I'll get that," I said quickly, walking into the Prescotts' bathroom.

"Hello?"

"Look, Faith, it's that girl Giselle."

"Charity?"

"Yeah. Look, Magnus is coming to pick you up."

"What? What's going on?"

"Giselle's out of control."

My heart turned cold.

"OK. I'll be there."

I hung up and clutched the phone to my chest. Giselle? Innocent, sweet, picturesqe Giselle out of control?

"Faith!"

I looked down, out of the window. There was Magnus, with his black convertible, waiting.

"What do you want me to do?" I hissed.

"Jump!"

I glared at him. "Sorry, buddy. That ain't happening."

"Do you want to help Giselle?"

"Duh."

"Then jump!"

I prepared myself. OK, OK... calm down. One two...

I was silent as I plunged through the air...

and right into Magnus's waiting arms.

Not that bad a scenario, really.

As we drove to the mall, where Giselle was, he began.

"She seems to be stalking a boy on the outskirts of the mall, is graffitiing the walls of the mall."

"I love that mall! Maybe we should let her-"

"_Faith_."

"OK."

I saw Charity waving us down. "Hurry!" She hissed.

We got out, and I realized that I had zilch, nothing, nada.

Till Charity pressed a stake into my hand.

"Oh," Magnus added, dangling a cross in front of me by the chain. "You may want this."

I put it on, uncomfortably aware of what he was saying. Since Magnus was the only male vamp around, he wasn't protecting me from Giselle or Charity...

He was protecting me from himself.

The mall had another wing that was under construction, and that's where we found Giselle. She was crouched behind a piece of wood, in complete vamp mode. Her fangs were longer than usual, and her mouth was open in a hideous grin. The prey was probably around fifteen, and spray painting a wall.

I could practically hear Giselle's panting. See the saliva dripping off of her fangs, see that starved look in her eyes...

She suddenly stood and walked over to the boy, looking angelic and beautiful.

"Hello," She murmured. The boy jumped, then turned. His eyes were soon like a deer in the headlights', enchanted and stunned at the same time.

"I'm Giselle," She giggled, "What's your name?"

"Ron," The boy answered in a dazed voice.

"Well, Ron," Giselle was now leaning up against him, "I want to make your night."

She was inching closer and closer. And still, Charity and Magnus made no move to stop her.

Just as Giselle was about to bite him, Ron sprang away.

"What the heck are you doing?" He yelled. I got it. Charity and Magnus knew that Giselle wasn't being effective enough.

But I had a feeling that she was going to make sure she didn't fail this time.

She was in an animal like pose. "Getting my dinner!" She snarled at him, leaping forward. Ron ran. Giselle ran. Charity, Magnus and-

OK, you get the picture. We all ran.

Giselle was on two legs, running after him, getting closer and closer. Ron wasn't all that fast, unfortunately. Just as she was about to grab him, Magnus made a flying leap and got her, pinning her to the ground.

"I am the Coven Leader," He growled at her. Giselle nodded after a moment, the human in her eyes charging back.

"Oh my gosh," She whispered, got up, and ran off. Charity, meanwhile, was using her charm to hynotise Ron into forgetting everything. We were going to be all right.

For now.

000

Mom and Dad were OK once I told them that I had vamp business to attend to. They forgave me.

But today, I had to see Magnus about Giselle. I knocked on his door. No answer.

But the door was unlocked, so I walked in anyway. If I was lucky, maybe I would catch him shirtless!

What I found was not that at all.

Cassidy was kissing Magnus.

000

_So? R and R! _


	11. Charity the Shrink

Roses Are Red

Summary: Hi. I'm Faith Isabella de Silva. Interesting name, not? Yeah, well, I'm not your average girl. My mom's the most powerful shifter around, and my dad (who my friends allllwaaays drool over-eew!) is pretty high up there on the mediator totem pole. So, what did I get from them? OK, a) I'm a shifter. And b) Thanks to being a mediator/shifter hybrid, I'm a "special" kind of shifter. I mediate vampires.

Disclaimer: What you recognize is either from The Mediator or Boys that Bite.

**Chapter Eleven: Charity the Shrink**

My mouth dropped open. What the heck...? Then, anger bubbled up inside of me. Now I knew what Nick had felt like.

Except, this was worse.

"Cassidy! Magnus!" I yelled. The two broke apart. Magnus's blue eyes were on me.

"Faith, please-"

"Oooh, no," I snarled, "I've had enough. First, you kiss me. Then, you admit it was a fluke, but are still against Ben and I. Now you go and kiss my ex-best friend?"

"Ex?" Cassidy asked stupidly.

"Yeah, ex, you retard!" I cried, and walked out of the house.

Now, where do I go to get Magnus advice? My mom? No, you should know that by now.

Our resident Goth vampiress.

000

"Sit down," Charity adviced me, gesturing to the tiny sofa.

"Why?"

She shrugged. "I've always wondered what it woukd be like to be a shrink."

"OK."

"So," She asked, "What's up?"

"WellMagnuswaskissingCassidywhousedtobemybestfriendbutnowIhatethem. Got that?"

Charity gave me a sarcastic look. "Oh, yeah."

She then promptly banged my head with a clipboard. Hey, where the heck did she get that?

"Of course I didn't get it, moron! English, please!"

"All right. I walked in on Cassidy and Magnus kissing."

"What?" Charity yelled, "But I NEVER fail with distracting guys!"

"Yeah, well, you did this time."

All I got was a muttered, "But I never fail."

"And now I'm kinda caught in the middle."

"But I never fail."

"So, what do I do?"

"But I never fail."

"Charity?"  
"But I never fail."

"YOU FAILED!"

She shot me The Look. "OK, OK." She sighed, "Look. I think you need to figure out what's going on with your feelings for Magnus."

I looked down. "But I don't have feelings for him."

Charity gave me a dry look. "Come on. This is me you're talking to."

"Well..."

Charity calmly took me by the shoulders and began to shake me. "YOU. LIKE. HIM."  
"No I don't!"

"This is gonna be a loooong night."

000

"Hey," I finally said about two hours later. "Wanna come over to my place?"

Charity's eyes widened. "You want me to come over? It's been... years since someone asked me that..."

I smirked. "Then let's get your car."

000

"So, Charity," Mom smiled, "Nice to meet you."

Charity gave her the look that she always seems to give nice people.

"Uh... likewise."

We then walked into my room. Charity reached into her bad and pulled out a pair of tong looking things.

"Hey, can you hold my tongue with this while I pierce it?"

"But it's already pierced."  
"So? I want another one."

"OK..."

Charity stuck out her tongue for me to use the tongs. After this was executed, she took a needled and stuck it through her tongue. Needless to say, this was slightly disturbing.

"Hey?" I asked, "Why isn't it bleeding?"

"We only bleed when we get staked," She said in a weird voice(considering that her tongue had a new hole in it), "Or for mediation purposes." She looked at me. "Have you figured out what you're supposed to do to mediate me?"

I gulped. "Yeah."

"What?"

"OK. There are different ways for each scenario. First, we get your souls weighed by the Reasoners. Whoever they are. Then, if your soul is pure enough and Slade's isn't, we stake him, and you drink his blood. You... die. And go to heaven."

Charity looked down. "Well... O-OK. What if my soul isn't pure enough?"

"It's messy."

000

Today, Charity was coming to my school. I was still kinda shaken about the Magnus thing, and she was bored out of her mind.

Whispers rang through the hallway as she walked through. People stared at her. I noticed Jen, the most popular girl in in school, snickering. Charity looked at her with those yellow eyes.

"Please control yourself," I hissed. She smirked. "Don't worry."

Charity calmly walked over to her. "How ya doin'?" She asked, then smiled. Revealing elongated fangs.

"Ew!" Jen shrieked, pointing. Charity tossed her blood red hair.

"Yeah, I have long teeth. You like?"

"What are you, a vampire?"

"Vampiress, actually." Charity was glaring at her. No, not glaring... hypnotising... I just remembered that vamps can do that...

She then left Jen in a trance, the other popular girls waving their hands in front of her face.

"I think I like this school."

000

_Just let me talk to you, and I'll be a peace._

I passed 'cousin' Charity a crumpled note.

**Magnus wants to talk to me.**

**Oh no. You're turning me into a high school girl.**

**Gee. Nice advice.**

**Talk to him!**

_What do you want?_

_A chance to explain._

_Well?  
I kissed Cassidy. But not for the reason you think._

_Why?_

_To... distract myself._

_From what?_

_Things. It's not as easy as you think. Being a vampire._

_Who said I thought it was easy?_

_Faith. Please. You know that you've been thinking about how it would be to be one of us. To have the charm. To have immortality. It's not that way._

_What do you mean?_

_Let's just say... we don't just hunger for blood._

000

_Tell me what you thought he meant. R and R!_


	12. Judgement

Roses Are Red

Summary: Hi. I'm Faith Isabella de Silva. Interesting name, not? Yeah, well, I'm not your average girl. My mom's the most powerful shifter around, and my dad (who my friends allllwaaays drool over-eew!) is pretty high up there on the mediator totem pole. So, what did I get from them? OK, a) I'm a shifter. And b) Thanks to being a mediator/shifter hybrid, I'm a "special" kind of shifter. I mediate vampires.

Disclaimer: What you recognize is either from The Mediator or Boys that Bite.

**Chapter Twelve: Judgement**

It's today. Charity's mediation, I mean. Not that happy a day for me, personally.

Meanwhile, Magnus and I aren't really on speaking terms.

"Will you two please talk to each other?" Charity begged, "I mean, I'm sure Magnus is making a wrong turn, but I don't know this place, and you do, Faith, but you won't tell him, and-"

"Will you _please_," Magnus pleaded, "Shut up!"

Charity rolled her eyes in the back seat. She made Magnus and I sit together so that we could make up, but no way was I giving in!  
"I'll say sorry when he says sorry," I declared like a three year old.

"And vise versa." Magnus added.

I wondered what he had meant when he said that he hungered. That's just weird. I mean, I asked Charity about it, and _she_, a fellow vamp, didn't know.

I stared at the wooden stake in my hand. That stuff tends to creep a person out, you know? A lot. And I also have a cross around my neck, which keeps Charity and Magnus-at all times- a good three feet away from me.

"So," Magnus said, "How are we supposed to get Slade, _Charity_?"

"That's where you come in."

"Yes?"

"You kidnap him."

"Hey," I pointed, "There's his house."

It was a small dirty house, one a person who's on the edge of bankrupt would live in. Charity's is better than this one.

"So," Charity patted Magnus on the shoulder. "Get to it."

He glared at her, then decided to add a glare for me 'cause he felt like it, and walked to the front door.

Thud. Thud.

At least, that's what Magnus knocking sounds like. Geez, wonder what it sounds like when he's punching something.

Slade, a thirtiesh guy with graying red hair and pale skin came to the door. Before he could say anything, Magnus calmly took him by the shoulders and led him to the car, slamming him into the trunk.  
"Huh. Pretty clean," Charity commented. We then dorve to her house, where the ritual was set up.

"OK," Charity read out of the big leather book. Her whole den was filled with candles, and one black candle was set apart from the rest. Slade stood with Magnus keeping an eye on him.

"Now," Charity said, "We need one drop of a vampire shifter's blood into the Doomsday Candle."  
"You are not- ow!" I shrieked as Magnus calmly slit a cut in my finger with a pocket knife. Charity took my hand and held it over the candle. Slowly, the drop of blood fell into the flame, and...

A ring of fire appeared in front of us.

"Well," Charity smiled, "Time to go. Magnus, we no longer need your assistance."

She pulled Slade beside her. "Come on, buddy of mine. It's time for us to go."

She then stepped into the ring. "Faith. Come on."

Cautiously, I put one foot in. So far, so good. Then I felt a shove.

"Magnus!"

"You broke."

Arrgh! He was right! I just spoke to him.

But suddenly, I was in a room. It was kind of like a court room, and had tons of old guys around.

"We are the Reasoners," Head Old Guy said. "Have you come for a soul weighing?"

"Yeah," I panted. "What do we do?"

"_You _do nothing."

Head Old Guy-HOG- suddenly reached over to Charity and pulled on the air next to her. A faded Charity suddenly came out, and her body slumped to the floor. He did the same to Slade.

"Now, if her soul is lighter than this feather"-HOG held up a feather-"Her soul is pure."

Oh great.

He took out a huge set of scales, and put the feather on one end, the Charity-copy on the other. For a moment, she swayed, and finally...

She was lighter!

Slade... not so much.

After their souls were back in their bodies, it was really time.

To stake Slade.

As I raised the stake, he got a notion of what was going on, and bared his fangs.

"You wouldn't!"

I smirked. "Try me."

"Nice," Charity commented from the back.

I darted at Slade, but he dodged. Dart dodge, dart dodge, this went on for a while, until he got fed up and.

"Faith, look out!"

Charity's scream echoed through the room as Slade grabbed me up, his fangs getting closer and closer... who knew that on my first staking, I'd get bitten?

Till...

"Sorry. She's mine to deal with."

Slade's weight was ripped off of me. Panting, I looked up from where I lay on the ground to see sapphire blue eyes.

"Magnus!" I cried, leaping up and throwing my arms around him. He seemed very surprised at this, but hugged me back for a moment.

Finally, he wrenched free and nodded toward the unconcious Slade.

"There's your moment."

Smiling, I walked up to him, stake raised, and...

I filled the vial I had taken with his blood and offered it to Charity.

"It's time."

000

_What will she choose? R and R! Next chappie's last!_


	13. Charity's Choice

Roses Are Red

Summary: Hi. I'm Faith Isabella de Silva. Interesting name, not? Yeah, well, I'm not your average girl. My mom's the most powerful shifter around, and my dad (who my friends allllwaaays drool over-eew!) is pretty high up there on the mediator totem pole. So, what did I get from them? OK, a) I'm a shifter. And b) Thanks to being a mediator/shifter hybrid, I'm a "special" kind of shifter. I mediate vampires.

Disclaimer: What you recognize is either from The Mediator or Boys that Bite.

**Chapter Thirteen: Charity's Choice**

Charity stared at that vial for a long time. Slade's blood. Behind us, I heard a hissing sound as Slade's body dissolved to dust.

Well. That's nice.

"You have to make the choice soon," Magnus urged, "We don't have much time to stay he-"

"Shut up!" Charity screamed, "Shut up!" Tears were tumbling from her yellow eyes, and I suddenly realized that she was as undecided as I was.

"It sounded so good," She whispered, "So good. Until I got... friends." The words were being forced out of her. "Until there were people who actually cared about me."

I blinked back tears, trying to be strong. It sounded like... even when she was mortal, Charity had been alone. So alone.

Magnus spoke again. This time, his voice was soft.

"Charity," He murmured, "We only want what's best for you. What makes you happy." He gazed down at me suddenly. "What makes you happy.

The tears were splashing down Charity's ivory skin. I couldn't bear how she looked. So defeated, so sad.

So not Charity.

Maybe this had been the real charity all along. The strong girl who I went for help from. The girl who seemed so confident.

I turned to the Reasoners, who stood strong. "How can you do this?" I yelled at them. "How can you do this to her? To..." I cast a glance at Magnus, who was whispering something to Charity. "To them?"

"What's done cannot be undone," HOG said. "We regret creating the vampire race, but think, Faith. If there were no vampires, you would not be a vampire shifter. You would have never met your friends."

Never met Charity... never met..

Never met Magnus.

For some reason, the thought of never meeting Magnus seemed to tear a hole in my heart.

"Even with this," Came a quavery voice, "I would have never wanted the vampire race to be destroyed."

I smiled at Charity for her brave words.

Magnus was murmuring words that... weren't words. What was it?

"What are you saying?" I asked. He turned to me and smiled.

"It's our ancient language. All vampires know it. It gives us a sense of deep comfort at times."

Oh. So Magnus was comforting Charity. I never realized how truly sweet he was. Hot, yes, seductive, yes, honorable, brave, definately.

But sweet? No.

How he had come in to save me from Slade... he could have been hurt pretty bad. All for me. He knew I was in danger. He was my partner.

Whether I liked it or not, we were a team.

"Charity," I whispered, "Are you ready?"

"Yes." She whispered, and took the vial from me. I watched as she raised it toward he quivering lips, and wanted to close my eyes...

"Here you go."

She handed the vial to me. "You may need it for Giselle."

Laughing, I hugged her. "What made you change your mind?"

She shrugged. "I have friends. I wanna help. Hey, I'm no chicken." She looked at Magnus, then at me.

"And besides, someone has to help you morons get together."

000

"I don't know," I sighed to her later that night at her house. "I just... I was so happy that he was there."

"He did kinda save your life," Charity said, filing her nails.

"No," I whacked her with a pillow. "Just... happy. Like I've never been that happy."

Charity gave an exasperated sigh. "And you finally realize this?"

I nodded. "What's up with me?"

Charity patted me fondly on the head. "You're in love, Faith."

"With who?"

"I think you know who."

Did I?  
000

"And so, we multiply pi by-" Ms. Larson was saying when a deep voice came.

"Excuse me. I need to speak with Faith de Silva in that hall."

I smiled when I saw who it was. Magnus, looking uncomfortable under the hungry gazes of the female students and the teacher was standing in the doorway.

"Hey, Magnus," I smiled. I could tell that the other girls in class were going, '_She _knows a guy like _that_?'

I got up from my seat, then turned to Ms. Larson. "Oh- may I?"

"Yes," She answered in a faint voice.

I walked out into the hall with Magnus.

"So..." He said uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry!" I blurted out.

"For what?" He asked, confused.

"For what's been going on, how I've been treating you..."

He smiled. "I've been just as faultful as you, if not more. For give me, m'lady?"

I smirked. "Yes, dear sir knight."

"So we're fine?"

"More than fine," I murmured, hugging him. Like yesterday, he paused, then hugged me back.

As he walked down the hall, I smiled.

I'm in love with Magnus.

Now how the heck do I get out of this one?

000

**Read this:**

**Up coming sequel...**

**_His Eyes are Blue_**: **Faith is in love with a vampire. Oh, how much she takes after her mother. But she's dating the cute Ben Slater. What to do... and there's also the fact that Magnus is the top target of Bertha the Vampire Slayer. How the heck does Faith get out of this one with her vamp hottie, and unscathed?**

**Coming either today or tomorrow.**

_R and R!_


End file.
